There are 118 New Zealanders stuck aboard the Australian Vasco Da Gama cruise ship which abandoned its itinerary and is due back in Fremantle, Western Australia on Friday.
The Vasco da Gama was involved in a dramatic at sea passenger swap off the coast of Thailand with Europe-bound passengers using lifeboats to get on board the Columbus and 108 New Zealanders plus dozens of Australians joining the Vasco da Gama.
The cruise line operating the ship, Cruise and Maritime Voyages, said it understands the ship will be exempt from Australian port closures.
Margaret and Roger Lane. Photo: supplied
On board the ship are Margaret and Roger Lane of Christchurch, they were supposed to be on the trip of a lifetime sailing from Singapore to London, but their cruise was abandoned after two days on board.
They managed to get a flight back from Perth to Auckland once the ship docks but shortly after the flight was confirmed it was cancelled by Air New Zealand.
Their son Robbie told Nine to Noon his parents are safe and sound but anxious to get home.
He says the ship is currently off the northern tip of Western Australia and has been sailing for five days since the at sea passenger swap.
Prior to that they spent 10 days off the coast of Thailand while the ship scrambled to find a way to get the passengers home.
The Kiwis on board the ship have formed a group to share information, he said.
“Getting information is sometimes difficult, they've got 20 minutes of internet available first thing in the morning …so we get a rush of information coming through mainly through WhatsApp, because obviously telephone contact is not available while out in the sea.”
The good news is his parents have been effectively quarantined on board the ship, he says.
“They would have been in quarantine for 19 days by the time they get into Fremantle, and even the ship passengers who came across from the Columbus would have been in quarantine for 16 days.
“So, from a risk perspective there was no coronavirus cases reported on the ship and everyone is well.”
Lane said he had been in contact with the Consulate in Canberra.
“Just to make sure that they're aware of the volumes of Kiwis who are going to be coming off that ship.”
Now it is just a case of how they will get back from Fremantle, he said.
“The ship said look we can get you on a bus to Perth airport, but in terms of all the flights - that’s your own doing.”
